Dental Care Without Insurance: Understanding Our Fee-for-Service Model

Like eating a healthy diet, staying physically fit, and visiting the doctor annually for a checkup, dental care is essential to your overall health, well-being, and happiness because good oral health supports good physical health, comfort, and confidence. We understand, however, that the availability of dental insurance, a volatile economy, and your budget can often make accessing dental care financially stressful.  

At Family Dental Care, we never want the price of dental care or the availability of insurance to make taking care of yourself cost-prohibitive. That's why our office is happy to accept a variety of dental insurance plans, while also offering uninsured dental care to patients without dental insurance. In these cases, we provide fee-for-service dentistry and can also help patients cover the cost of their care with a variety of payment plans designed to fit your budget.  

What Is Fee-for-Service Dentistry?

Fee-for-service (FFS) dentistry is a type of dental service that is designed to provide patients with the high-quality treatments they need in exchange for a fair price - without involving insurance companies in the establishment of treatment prices. Many FFS dental practices accept dental insurance, but they do not require patients to have insurance, as they can provide services with upfront payment or the establishment of a payment plan.  

How Are Uninsured Dental Care Prices Determined?

One of the main differences in FFS dentistry is how the costs of certain treatments and services are determined.

For example, some dental care providers are considered Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) by insurance companies, and, in these cases, prices are established through negotiations with these external insurance provider networks.

With a fee-for-service dental practice, fair prices are based on a variety of factors that take into account:

  • The time required to provide a service
  • The skill, expertise, judgment, experience, and training required
  • The care taken in providing the service
  • The cost of space, equipment, materials, and supplies used when providing a treatment
  • Operating (overhead) costs needed to provide various services to each patient
  • Geographical averages and standards for FFS dental care services

How Does Fee-for-Service Dental Care Work?

With fee-for-service dental care, the dental care provider typically requires patients to pay for their services upfront, at the time of their appointment. The upfront cost will include either the total treatment cost, an initial payment toward a payment plan, or the amount that is not expected to be covered by the patient's insurance coverage.  

Since payment is required upfront, patients typically receive an estimate for the cost of their care before their dental procedures are performed and completed. This provides patients with a better understanding of the cost of their treatment options before they decide on a specific treatment plan. Additionally, FFS dentistry overall provides patients with more clarity and transparency regarding the cost of their dental care, empowering them to make choices that will be good both for their oral health and their bank accounts.  

Family Dental Care: Helping Families Access Premium Dental Services - Without Dental Insurance

If you are without dental insurance, require a type of dental treatment that is not covered by your insurance plan, or need uninsured dental care services, the team at Family Dental Care in Flowood, MS is here to help.

We accept many dental insurance plans and also offer a variety of payment options designed to accommodate your budget. Plus, our patients have the option of using fee-for-service care, where we provide patients with a clear quote for costs and accept payment for treatment up-front.  

We understand that navigating the financial side of dental care can be complicated - whether you have dental insurance or not - and that's why our office team is always here to answer your questions and help you navigate the financial aspects of accessing dental care. We want to make your dental care experience as pleasant and simple as it can be - from scheduling your first appointment to covering the cost of your care.

To learn more about our fee-for-service dental care model, and payment plans or to request an appointment with one of our experienced dentists, we welcome you to contact our office today.